Proper chain tension is a very easy thing to check and unfortunately the most overlooked item on the bike. Besides the proper adjustment, lubrication is also commonly overlooked. How many times has your friend rode up to you with his new gold plated chain, but after closer examination you notice that it’s not gold, but rust.

Let’s start with checking your tension. Your owner’s manual will specify the proper measurements for your bike. To measure the chain tension pick a spot midway between the two sprockets on the lower part of the chain. With the chain hanging static take your measurement from the center of the pin on the chain and lift the chain. Do not force the chain when you lift it up. The difference between the two measurements is your chain tension. If your chain tension is to tight you can cause damage to your front sprocket drive gear and if it’s too loose the sprockets will wear out faster. One thing you should keep in mind, replace your sprockets and chain as a set to avoid wasting your money due to the parts wearing out faster than they should.

As far as lubrication goes, there is a wide range of products on the market that you can use, but I’ll leave the choice up to you. Besides lubricating the chain make sure that the o-rings also get sprayed. Keeping the o-rings well lubricated will prolong the chain life.